Women before 1914

The role of women in Britain before the war was a traditional one. Women were considered precious, fragile things who had to be protected from the harshness of life. They were thought to lack the mental ability of men and were unable to undertake any type of work requiring leadership and skill. Basically, a woman's place was in the home, caring for her family.

It must be said that this was the attitude to middle- and upper-class women. The better-off women were not expected to work and were discouraged from doing so. Many working-class women, on the other hand, did work and the most common occupation for them was in domestic service as maids and cooks in the homes of the middle and upper classes. This was considered suitable work for a woman (until she got married) since it was more or less the kind of 'job' she would have as a wife. Some middle-class, single women found suitable work as secretaries and assistants in the better class of shops. The 1911 census revealed that 90 per cent of all married women did not work at all. A working woman - especially a working wife - was, therefore, rather unusual.

The 1914 - 1918 war was to change the way men and women thought about the role women should have in society. The effect of this was seen almost immediately in the types of work women were able to do. But it is less easy to be sure how deep this change was. Once the war was over, would it be back to 'square one' for Britain's women? Would they have to swap their lathes for the dish mop if the old ideas returned?

Neil Demarco: Britain and the Great War; Oxford University Press, 1992/2000, page 39